Workmen attempt to put out a fire at the Riverton City dump in St. Catherine last month. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Based on the events that affect my community, I am convinced that if a landfill was being created in some uptown (affluent) communities such as the foot of Jacks Hill, Hope Pastures, Norbrook, Beverley Hills or Cherry Gardens, there would be a different approach by the authorities to deal with fires (and smoke nuisance) of a similar nature and frequency as that which occurred at the Riverton landfill in December 2006.

I am convinced that at least the activities to reduce and curtail the effect of unscheduled fires being staged at the landfill(s) located close to these communities would be better monitored than that which obtained at the Riverton landfill.

More resources would be garnered faster to put out the flames earlier and swifter and more decisive actions would be taken to minimise the discomfort of fire and smoke nuisance on the upscale communities.

I am convinced that if the politicians did not seek to highlight the adverse impact that the recent fire at the Riverton landfill caused primarily on the western communities of St. Andrew and sections of Portmore in St. Catherine, effective solutions to the problems would be slower in coming.

In short, I am convinced that things could be dealt with differently and better than how they were handled in the case of containment of the Riverton landfill. My disappointment is that while I lament over the situation, our seemingly less affluent communities with taxpayers are still suffering because of the difference in approach being used to deal with the fires at the Riverton landfill.

I am, etc.,

ANDREW JONES

Duhaney Park

Kingston 20